Top 5 Most Notorious Diamonds

Diamonds are captivating and often spellbinding. Large or historically significant diamonds are more noteworthy than others. The top five most notorious diamonds are the Shah, the Hortensia, the Eureka, the Dresden Green, and the Hope Diamonds.

The Shah diamond was found in India in about 1450. It weighs 88.7 carats and was confiscated, misplaced, and rescued by various Shahs during the past. Shah Jehan etched “ruler of the world” on it. Following the assassination of a Russian official in1829, the ruling Shah offered it to the Russian government as tribute to prevent requital. That is how the Shah diamond was remitted from India evermore.

The Hortensia Diamond was named after the female offspring of the Empress Josephine, the step-daughter of Napoleon Bonaparte. It measures twenty carats. It vanished along with the French Crown Jewels during a larceny in 1792. It was found and stolen again by 1830. It is now in the Louvre as a priceless piece of the history of France.

The Eureka Diamond was found in South Africa by a male child working as a herdsman on the banks of Hopetown’s Orange River. It measured 231 carats originally. It was viewed by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle. It was purchased by De Beers in 1967. Now, it is on permanent exhibition at the Kimberly Museum in South Africa. It has become a symbol of one of South Africa’s most profitable domestic assets: diamonds.

The Dresden Green Diamond weighs 40.7 carats. It is named after the capital city of Saxony. It was found in India and is very special because of its green color. It was sold to the rulers of Saxony and continued to be owned by its royalty. It is now on exhibit at Albertinium Museum in Dresden. It used to be displayed along with the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian.

The most notorious is the Hope Diamond. People used to believe that it was accursed to bring death to any owner. It was originally found in India and was originally 112 3/16 carats when King Louis XVI first purchased it. He had it cut down to 67 1/8 carats to be used in the manufacture of of the French Crown Jewels. King Louis XV used it in the Emblem of the Golden Fleece. During the French Revolution, it was stolen and lost for 20 years. In 1812, Philip Henry Hope purchased it in England. Recently, it has been owned by various collectors. Its last owner, Harry Winston, gave it to the Smithsonian.

Joe A for Raymond Lee Jewelers, South Florida’s premiere source for buying and selling luxury watches and designer jewelry.